Acknowledgments Introduction Stories externalize internal complexities Kamadeva teaches: Sexual desire (kama) as paradigm for generic desire (kama) Stories mold worldview Tale of Yayati : Telling stories about desire A flow of stories with no reliable dates Visual representations of Kamadeva Structure of this study of Kama and kama 1. Stories of Beginnings: Kamadeva and his wives The birth of Kamadeva Kamadeva's wife: Rati Kamadeva's companions: Vasanta and the Maras Kamadeva's other wife: Priti / Karnotpala Who is Kamadeva? Translation: The tale of Karnotpala 2. Kamadeva, Skilled Marksman Siva wins: Kama turned to ash Kama wins: Kama's power within Siva Devi wins: Kama as devotee of the goddess 3. Kamadeva as Pradyumna, son of Krsna The story of Pradyumna Variant Pradyumnas and Sambaras Kama marries Mayavati: Desire embedded in and wedded to Illusion The story of Pradyumna as allegory 4. Kamadeva and Khandasila: rituals and metaphors The story of Khandasila The parallel tale of Indra and Ahalya Why women become stones Reflecting on Khandasila: Siva in the Pine Forest Devotion to Kamadeva What Kama and Khandasila say about desire Translation: The tale of Khandasila 5. Worshipping Kamadeva Kamadeva's festivals and pujas: The Damanakotsava Kamadeva as fertility god, and vratas for prostitutes Rituals for beauty and husbands: Tirthas for couples Why rituals of Devotion to Kamadeva Translation: The Damanaka Festival (damanakotsava) 6. Recognizing Kama: Perspectives of early texts -- anger, pursartha, invincible power, tentric energy Kama in the Rg Veda and Atharva Veda Kama in the Brahmanas Kama in the Upanisads Kama as a human goal, a purusartha ( Mahabharata ) Kama and Krodha: Desire and anger ( Mahabharata ) Kama: Upholder of the earth and cosmic will ( Mahabharata ) Song of Kama (Kamagita): The power of desire ( Mahabharata ) Kama in service to a Tantric goddess: Chinnamasta Historical progression of Kama and his Greek cousin, Eros 7. Kamadeva ' s assistants: Celestial beings, birds, and crocodiles Apsarases Gandharvas Parrot: Kamadeva's vehicle Makara: Emblem of the god of desire 8.

Kama as the Buddhist Mara and Manjusri Attitudes toward kama in early Buddhist literature Kama and Mara: Desire and Death Upagupta and Mara: Mara as the Buddha Vimalakirti and Mara: Enlightened Maras Manjusri and Kamadeva: Desire as a path to wisdom 9. Conclusions: Kamadeva and the Meaning of Desire What does Kamadeva teach about desire? Attitudes toward desire in Sanskrit story literature Bibliographies: Sanskrit Texts Sanskrit Translations General Sources.